The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-11-18
miscellaneous.
MISS CRUTCHETT'S PLAN,
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.


shoots and apple geraniums in Mabel Verin'
ders window, and then turned every linger-
ing drop to diamonds. There had been yet
another brief, sparkling shower at the same
time-the tears that had welled suddenly up
from Mabel's heart and left sad brillance
In her eyes.
Its no use," said she. "His Aunt Selma
is right. am no helpmate at all for Char.
ley. am nothing more than drag upon
him. And oh, I've tried 80 hard to help
him p
ooh ?" said old Miss Crutchett-"what
And why should Charley be helped? He
hasn't lost the use of his limbs or anything,
has he"
NO." unwillingly admitted Mabel. She
was just in that mood in which woman
would rather make martyr of herself than
not But his salary is 80 small And he has
TO work 30 hardr'
ANY harder than other people ?" question
ed Miss Crutchett. There's car conduc-
tor lives on our third fiat. He has to be up
at four o'clock every morning, and his last
trip ends at ten-forty at night And Philip
Jones is foreman of a daily paper, and never
goes to bed till daylight"
ooh, of course don't mean thatr' said
Mabel. "But mean that he has to work
pretty steadily for q ridiculous salary"
LA, my DEAR" said Miss Crutchelt, "sala-
ries of any sort are 10 be respected nova
days. If Charley's place were vacant you
would find score of men striving to get
it. It's the natural consequence of over
population In our great cities"
YES" said Mabel; "but Horace Fontaine's
wife earns quite little sum by doing crayon
pictures. And Lucy Weldyn's novel sold
for six hundred dollars. And Nellie Traxon
embroiders tapestry for The Young
Women's Bureau, and Mrs. Copley gets six
her brothers firm. Why couldn't do some
such thing as that?"
"Does Charley want you tor" asked Miss
Crutchett, the lenses of her spectacles SEEM
ing to shine like inquiriDg eyes upon Mrs.
Verinder.
mo; but his Aunt Selma has been saying
such horrid meddlesome things about my
being silly child, and Charley having mar
ried too early, and"
"Humph p said Miss Crutchett. "The
troubles of one-half of the world come from
what the other half says"
YES, l know" said Mabel, ENORMOUSLY ;
"but il would be so nice if could earn some.
thing myself! wouldn't care how little il
was. painted a lovely landscape on old
gold satin last week, and sent it to the Fine
Art Exchange, but there was no sale for it ;
and crocheted beautiful carriage afghan,
and it hung in Bates window month, and
got all faded with sunshine and soiled with
dust, and no one so much as asked the price
oft I'll only had some sort of a market
able talent"
"My dear" good Miss Crutchett had be-
gun but here she suddenly checked heself,
and added: Don't Ismell something burn
inn in the kitchen pu
"Oh, dare say" said Mabel, spirtlessly.
christine is always scorching something or
other Our apple-compote was ruined for
dinner yesterday, and the chicken -potpie
couldn't be eaten on Sunday. She destroy
ed 4 whole baking of bread on Friday,
and"
But Mrs Verinder broke short off in the
middle of her speech and fled INTO the
kitchen, where saucepan of lobster was
bubbling over on the stove, and Christine,
the jaunty Swedish house-maden, was out
In the area, watching the antics of a monkey
who was chained to hand organ.
"It's too bad ~ cried Mabel, exciledly. ats
all burned TO the bottom of the pan And
Charley Is go found of lobster bisque, too |!
Oh, I could cry! That Christine isn't worth
her salt!'
Little foxes spoil the grapes |" distracted
ly quoted Miss Crutchett.
"What on earth are you talking about ?"
said Mabel, staring at the old lady.
"Nolhing," said Miss Crutchet. This
bisque is spoiled SO is the pan it was stew.
ing In"
"Dear dearW cried Mabel; land it is too
late to make another, and haven't thing
for dinner in the house We must send TO
Valghettfs for roast chicken and some ap-
ricel-tarts-thats all"
ITO the French restaurant on Vestry
Place. p
"0h. yes" said Mabel, indifferenlly. ave
often do that"
"Humph n said Miss Crutchett. swell, I'll
go out and call that Swedish damsel of yours.
What wages do you pay her, by the way ?"
Fourteen dollars MONTH" said Mabel,
with troubled countenance. "Just three
times what she is worth"
"Humph p again remarked Miss Crutch-
ell.
"She is 30 careless |" said Mabel, plaintive-
ly. "She has Clipped all the beautiful china
that his Aunt Selma gave me for a wedding
present, and she broke that exquisite statu-
cite OF Diana that stood on the gilt tripod
between the windows, and she has let the
moths get into the parlor carpet out of sheer
simple neglect. Oh, she is such trial ?"
II don't see why you keep such a girl"
observed Miss Crutchett.
They're all alike" said Mabel. "a mis-
cradle, shiitless set If sent her away, l
should in all probability get worse one in
her place"
"Humph p said Miss Crutchett.
The next day the good old lady came
cheerfully up into Mrs. Verinders fiat once
more.
"Well, my DEAR" said she, ave discov-
cred way for you to help your husband"
Mabel flung down the book over which
she had been dreaming; her face grew radi-
ant.
"Dear Miss Cru,chett," said sine, ~ shall
always, always be grateful to you'll Is it lit
erary laborp
"N.no," said Miss Crutchett, mot exactly
literary labor"